Phils Win in 10; End Season on High Note

Well that’s all she wrote. The Philadelphia Phillies 2009 regular season has come to a close, and as a team they’ve dealt with the ups and downs that come with a 162-game schedule.

In the finale, the regulars were strapped to the pine for the most part, as all of the starters, save Jayson Werth, sat down. In what was clearly a meaningless game to both teams, the Phillies and Marlins decided to extend the already lengthy season by just one more inning. With the two men on and two outs in the bottom of the 10th inning, Paul Hoover singled in John Mayberry Jr. to give the Phillies a 7-6 victory.

J.A. Happ began the game but threw just 39 pitches over two innings as Charlie Manuel gives him some rest to prepare for the postseason. Seven other pitchers combined to finish off the game for the Phillies, with Chad Durbin getting the win.

The Phillies finish the 2009 campaign with a 93-69 record, the most wins for the franchise since 1993 when the won 97 games. They jump into the postseason with a victory, however insignificant that may be. Now all that is left to do is set the postseason roster and start the run back to the World Series.

In the NLDS, the Phillies will face off against the Colorado Rockies, the same team that swept the Phils in the opening round in 2007. The Rox started the season off with a dud, causing them to fire manager Clint Hurdle. Jim Tracy took over and the Rockies never looked back, going 74-41 since his promotion. Two seasons ago, Colorado was hot going into the postseason and used that to catapult them into the World Series, where they were swept by the Red Sox.

It was a hell of a year for the Phillies, as they again eclipsed the 90-win plateau. But now, with a World Championship already in the bag, the expectations are higher than they have ever been. Anything less than another title will be considered somewhat of a disappointment for fans who long to see a dynasty built in Philadelphia. The second season starts Wednesday here in Philly. You have two days to rest, and then the fun begins once again.

Anyone have any knowledge of the Game 1 start time? TBS has it listed as 1:30pm on their daily schedule, but seems like Todd Zolecki is saying first pitch is at the (very odd) time of 2:37? I guess the later the better, but…weird.

Im going down Thursday I’ll take the train in after my last class at 1030 to be part of all the festivities. Hopefully we will have the ralley towels again and Dan Baker telling to WAVE THOSE TOWELS and then cue it up with TV it looks cool to see all the towels REDTOBER > Rocktober

JP, that sounds like a very fair trade to me. You are so misunderstood, just like the Halliday trade that didn’t happen, you got blamed for that just because you wanted a little more. Life is SO unfair!

Not thrilled about the early starts. This season’s stats predicts high-scoring games. All four starters (assuming De La Rosa’s injury doesn’t prevent him from being on the Rockies roster) get hit harder during the daytime. Not brimming with confidence at this point, but I have more faith in Lee and Hamels rising to the occasion than I do the Rockies 1-2. And I’m pissed that the Twins-Tigers playoff game might make the Yankees’ opening round a breeze.

Thank goodness I give night classes so a 2 PM start works well for me. Looks like we get a chance to get some payback for 07. Going to be very interesting I think. The Rockies are not riding that same wave of success they were in 07 and, unlike that year, they ended the season in a negative note by losing to the Dodgers when they had a chance for a epic comeback to take the division.

If Hamels and Lee form the devestating duo in the playoffs we want them to be the series could easily be over in 3. I think its all up to the first game. If we lose that one then I think we are in trouble.

I was at the game on Sunday. Although the game was meaningless, the atmosphere made CBP once again the best place to be. Phillie fans get knocked all the time, but they are knowledgeable about the game and their team. When Werth was intentionally walked in the 10th the fans lustily booed during all four balls. There is no surprise that when Philly baseball players retire they speak highly of their experience in Philadelphia.

How about RYAN HOWARD finishing the season with a .279 batting average?? I remember talking about this possibility with someone else (Original Chuck P?) about a month ago.. how anything above .275 would’ve been phenomenal for the big guy.

During the post game show, they talked about using Happ in relief in game 1 or 2 and possibly coming back with him to start in game 4. I think that is a good idea because I’d rather have Happ throw 6 – 7 innings as a starter and possibly 1 in relief than use him up with 3 or 4 innings in relief in an inning at a time. Starting pitching is far more crucial than relief pitching.

Myers has experience in the postseason and in high pressure situations as a closer so I trust him more than Walker. Walker may make the roster while Escolona is off but I think they want another lefty in the pen other than Eyre.

Is there still good argument that Matt Stairs should be on the playoff roster? Granted that he had one of the biggest hits in the postseason last year- he was the secret weapon in Manuel’s arsenal that was used quite successfully to help clinch the NLCS – but now that element of surprise is gone and Stairs has been struggling at the plate, can’t hit fastballs like he used to, and can’t be used on the field, how effective can he be?

I like KK in the pen, despite his performance on Sunday.
It is always good to end with a win, I also think game one holds the key to the series, even though I am confident they can win in Colorado, If the rockies can win game one it will give them momentum going home, where after losing to LA if the Phillies can shut them down on Wednesday, they may be all done.
And as for rest, what is that I live in Vermont, drove down and back this weekend to see last game, leave Tuesday after work for the game Game 1 at The Bank then back to Vermont after the game and back to work on Thursday, I am glad Cole will be on the mound, and I will be in 244 row 5 if anyone wants to stop and say hi

The more I think about this whole series, the more I think that Happ should start Game 3, on the road. You would have MLB’s best starter on the road, a lefty against a lineup that’s not too good against LHPs…

Makes perfect sense. We can’t bet on Happ trying to save Hamels and Lee in Games 1 and 2… if those two guys do not perform well, we’re gonna lose the series anyway.

Let’s face it, the “Cards” are stacked in the “Yanks” favor. However, I am hopeful that they will have a “Rockie” Road. If the Phillies get the Eye of the “Tiger” and Lidge can “Dodge” some bullets……the “Angel” of Harry Kalas can help us win “TWIN” World Series Championships….this “Red” October against the “Sox”

As I sit here at work reading these blogs and thinking of good things ahead, one thought popped into my mind. Do you how nice it was all year not having to listen to those clown from New York getting on this site running their mouths all of the time. Good things happens when the Muts fail so badly!

The Rockies are by all accounts the most favorable match-up the Phils could have drawn. Colorado has an all righty starting rotation now without De La Rosa, their only lefty option and arguably hottest pitcher before his groin injury. Rollins, Victorino, Utley, Howard, and Ibanez should fare well in this series.

Meanwhile the Hamels, Lee, and Happ have shown that they can dominate the Rockie’s lefty lineup.

First, I have been loving my crow since the Phillies remembered how to win, and the Braves officially Choked. The Phillies won the games they needed to to officially win the division without the Braves losing any, but the Braves lost out on the Wild Card because they choked as bad as the mets. LOL. As you can see in my screen name, I currently live in Colorado. For the record I HATE the Rockies. and this stupid idiotice “Rocktober” thing makes me SICK AS HELL. I would LOVE to see the Phillies ROCK the rockies. I am trying to get tickets to game 3 in hopes that the Phillies sweep the Rockies and I can be AT Rockies Stadium for it! Some may ask why “Rocktober” makes me SICK AS HELL. Well obviously first and foremost I am a DIEHARD PHILLIES PHAN! 2nd, these “supposed” Rockies fans. LOL. Come to Colorado, and it is next to impossible ro actually find a Rockies fan ANYWHERE, until they actually make the playoffs, then all of a sudden, EVERYONE jumps the stupid bandwagon. PATHETIC. LETS GO PHILLIES!